[Visran]

When asked if Mitsubishi would now re-evaluate its India operations, alliance boss Carlos Ghosn said, “Without any doubt, India is a very big future market for any carmaker and for Mitsubishi in particular.”

Interestingly, Ghosn also confirmed that the CMF-A platform that underpins Renault’s most successful car in India, the Kwid will also be available to Mitsubishi. “Today you are having a Renault product (on the CMF-A platform), tomorrow you are going to have a Nissan product, but this platform will be open to Mitsubishi,” he said.

http://www.autocarindia.com/auto-new...ia-404401.aspx

[RSR]

With Peugeot-Citroën taking a majority stake in the car-manufacturing JV with HM, Mitsubishi's future in India became a question mark.

However, Nissan's takeover of Mitsubishi is a godsend for the triple diamond, both in India and worldwide. Future Mitsubishis in India can easily be rolled out of the Renault-Nissan Alliance's car manufacturing plant.

The question is, where will the Mitsubishi brand fit in India? They already have the Renault, Nissan and Datsun brands doing duty here. Since it's Nissan that owns Mitsubishi, future Mitsubishis are likely to share lots of stuff with Nissan vehicles.

At least Renault carries the mantle of being the Alliance's lone European brand in India (there is no direct Dacia presence here). Three Japanese brands from the Alliance may be one too many, especially considering that the other two aren't doing particularly well!

Unless Mitsubishi is positioned as a niche brand by Nissan, it may not fit in with the Alliance's gameplan for India.

[jetti]

RSR,
This last line of yours - it defines what I think as the key to success for Mitsubishi. Being a niche brand is in line with the image they already have.
While CMF-A may have worked wonders for Kwid, it still isn't doing anything for Datsun. It's not likely to do anything for Mitsubishi either. Mitsubishi, in my opinion, should focus on its lost strengths. Bring on the modern replacements for the Lancers and Cedias!

Originally Posted by RSR

Unless Mitsubishi is positioned as a niche brand by Nissan, it may not fit in with the Alliance's gameplan for India.

[motorworks]

Globally Mitsubishi has moved on from the pajeros and the lancers. They seem to focus on small electric cars and hybrids and that should be the niche that they need to take in India. India doesn't want a lancer, not at least now, the c segment sedans are purely executive sedans now and there is just no scope for any performance sedan in that space anymore. And even if they brought the Pajero, its not a mass market car, so at best it would do 300-400 units per month and nothing more.

Rather be the first mover in hybrids and EVs.

[CarCynic]

Just checked out their US website. The Mirage G4 looks like it is based on Nissan Sunny. I don't see a point of coming to India if they are simply going to bring in a third version of Sunny/Scala (both being market duds). Plus, the current Lancer is outdated and looks like they are not interested in updating it.

As someone who grew up in awe of Pajeros and Lancer Evos, I feel bad for where this company ended up. They should focus on reviving the sporty past of this once admired brand.

[GTO]

Dear Mr. Ghosn,

You have three brands in India.

Renault: Successful, yes, but a one-trick pony (first Duster, now Kwid).

Datsun: Initial two launches flopped; Kwid in different clothes is the only one selling.

Nissan: A dead brand that takes a step back every year. Some months of 2016, its total sales were in the 3 digits.

Net net, out of 3 brands and multiple cars, you only have ONE MODEL selling (i.e. Kwid).

Trust me, the last thing you need is yet another brand. Will be spreading your resources too thin. Instead, better you focus on 1 or 2 brands in India and make them strong.

Originally Posted by RSR

Unless Mitsubishi is positioned as a niche brand by Nissan, it may not fit in with the Alliance's gameplan for India.

Originally Posted by motorworks

Rather be the first mover in hybrids and EVs.

Well said. If Mitsubishi wants to explore opportunities in India, it should look at niche segments.

[Red Liner]

They should bring Mitsubishi back into the SUV segment and take the fight up to Toyota. That's a niche segment where the Mitsubishi brand enjoys a supernal following.

In India, Mitsu = 4x4.

[SmartCat]

Ghosn risks spreading himself too thin by having separate dealers for each brand. All brands (Datsun, Renault, Nissan & now Mitsubishi) under a single roof might help - for the customer, it would be like walking into a multi-brand car dealership.

[Latheesh]

In India, we have Kwid with Renault logo, Datsun logo, now it may come with Mitsubishi logo as well. They may call it Kwid EvoX.

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by smartcat

Ghosn risks spreading himself too thin by having separate dealers for each brand. All brands (Datsun, Renault, Nissan & now Mitsubishi) under a single roof might help - for the customer, it would be like walking into a multi-brand car dealership.

This I agree. Makes superb sense. Further they should have each brand focus on a specific niche.

Datsun = small cars (Hyundai/Maruti segment)
Renault = B segment and C segment Euro Sedans (Skoda/VW/Ford)
Nissan = B segment and C segment Jap Sedans (Honda/Maruti/Toyota)
Mitsubishi = SUV + Pickups (Toyota/Isuzu)

Will be one hell of a showroom to walk into with all 4 brands in specific niches gleaming back at you.

All this rebadging doesnt make sense. Just confuses everyone in the same market.

I haven't looked up their global model lineup, just shooting from my hip really.

[Karthik Chandra]

Originally Posted by smartcat

All brands (Datsun, Renault, Nissan & now Mitsubishi) under a single roof might help - for the customer, it would be like walking into a multi-brand car dealership.

Thats the best way to do it since it would give the following benefits

1. Your reach (showroom) immediately doubles up without significant investment.
2. The groups A.S.S would have a wider spread.
3. Shared resources reduces cost, overheads.
4. The opportunity for a sale increases.

All said and done, you need to have models across the range - A, B1, B2, C1 & C2 to drive volumes and successfully run the multi brand set up. Does not make sense with Duster/Terrano, Scala/Sunny, Pulse/Micra, Kwid/RediGo.

[Sheel]

Just see the kind of ideas our fellow Team-BHP members seem to give and few of them make terrific sense in fact the idea to have all brands under one roof would be awesome.

If there is one brand, I would like to buy, it would be Mitsubishi, just because of its Pajero heritage. Mitsubishi should seriously consider the SUV segment as well as the niche [electric/hybrid] segment/s.

Scorpio is still unstoppable at the price it comes at. Something with all bells and whistles [similar features/specifications] should work if you ask me.

And please think about a SUV from Mitsubishi/Isuzu, that would be just wowsome.

[octane_100]

Well, I am no marketing specialist nor a master strategist but what's visible to plain sight is with multiple brands (Renault, Nissan and Datsun) and products there is no clear positioning. Renault-Nissan in India is really a kichdi of sorts.

There is no clear communication to the customer as to why one should buy that specific brand/product. They are just creating near identical twins of all products and hoping to double the sales

Now throw in Mitsubishi in to the mix and it's only going to be worse! Like some one rightly pointed out, Mitsubishi is no longer a company of Lancers and Pajeros (which I am sure most of us loved). It's going to be interesting how they play it out

[kiku007]

If one reads Carlos's two line reply and Autocar's article, I can only say that it's a page filler rubbish.

Carlos didn't really respond to the question. He was merely stating two facts,
1. India is a big market blah blah...
2. Renault Nissan Platform is available for Mitsubishi. Of course. Isn't that given?

IMHO even this thread title is over optimistic.

[veyron_head]

Originally Posted by kiku007

1. India is a big market blah blah...
2. Renault Nissan Platform is available for Mitsubishi. Of course. Isn't that given?

IMHO even this thread title is over optimistic.

Precisely. Thats what i thought too. It merits being news if Ghosn had said India is not their focus and the kwid platform would be unavailable to mitsu!!